Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard

To say the fall of October 1993 was a tough time for the WWF is an understatement. Vince McMahon and Titan Sports are going to be facing serious charges from the the Federal Government where they would face millions in fines and perhaps lose Titan Towers (and everything in it!). Hulk Hogan is gone so they get Randy Savage back in the ring but before they do, Savage goes on JR's radio show and calls out Hulk Hogan for lying on the Arsenio Hall Show. Vince has decided to shift gears to a different type of main event attraction to feature Bret Hart and his feud with Jerry Lawler is the hottest in the company... and then Lawler got arrested. Despite business being down, they sold out the Boston Gardens in record time. How? Bruce explains a new strategy that worked to move tickets and how they had to pivot away from Lawler in the main event. Why was Shawn chosen? Who were the Knights supposed to be? How were the other Hart brothers to work with? What was the original plan before it was Bret-Owen? Plus we discuss sidebars about Ludvig Borga, Ray Combs, and of course the creation of Reo Rodgers. Don't miss the show Bruce has wanted to cover since we started the podcast, Survivor Series 1993!

This is your second annual Something to Wrestle "Thanksgiving Tradition" Survivor Series episode! Fire up the WWE Network to Survivor Series 1988, mute your television, and let Bruce and Conrad talk you through the 1988 Survivor Series where "teams of five strive to survive!" JYD, the Baron, and Don Muraco are out and Scott Casey and Jim Brunzell are in? Bruce discusses the Bulldogs departure, the way Arn and Tully reacted to their first WWF Pay Per View, whether or not Savage had an issue with Hogan coming out last, and so much more! Plus the guys discuss Vince's foray into promoting boxing Pay Per Views, what Vince did for the guys for Thanksgiving, why Richfield got so many big shows, and so much more! Holidays got you feeling stressed financially? SaveWithBruce.com can help you pay off your credit cards, get a lower monthly payment and even skip your next two house payments! Have a question for next week? Head over to Twitter right now, @prichardshow Join us in Europe, Colorado Springs, Phoenix, and Connecticut too all at www.BrucePrichard.com!

We are one year removed from the Montreal Screwjob and the tide has turned in the Monday Night War--the WWF is near clearly in the lead with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin feuding with "Mr. McMahon." But the story of Survivor Series 1998 is about to further the lead that the WWF has when they crown their "next big thing" champion. The Rock became "the guy" at Survivor Series '98 but HOW they got there was the most masterful part of the story. Vince Russo has said this was the best thing he ever wrote in wrestling and most agree. The story of Mankind and Vince McMahon, weaving in Shane McMahon and the Rock for weeks before the big reveal... the Rock is the Chairman's hand picked Champion. The stage was set for WrestleMania 15 and what would become the biggest trilogy in the history of professional wrestling. Don't miss the incredible story that made the Rock one of the youngest WWE Champions ever as Bruce and Conrad discuss Survivor Series 1998! Holidays got you feeling stressed financially? SaveWithBruce.com can help you pay off your credit cards, get a lower monthly payment and even skip your next two house payments! Have a question for our Survivor Series 1988 episode next week? Head over to Twitter right now, @prichardshow Come see us in Los Angeles TOMORROW! BrucePrichard.com can hook you up and NEXT WEEK is our first ever visit to NORTH CAROLINA! Join us in Europe, Colorado Springs, Phoenix, and Connecticut too all at www.BrucePrichard.com!

Nobody has a story like William Regal! Bruce and Conrad cover his start in the business at just 16 years old, touring Europe, a surprise tryout with the WWF nobody talks about, who gave him a tip on how to get hired in WCW, who brought him in, why he left, who he called in the WWF to come in, what happened in the very first meeting, the illness that nearly cost him his life, his addiction, the rocky start with the company, the silly "Man" gimmick, rehab, the release, the match that got everyone talking again, the idea for the Commissioner, his title runs, his partnership with Tajiri, the pairing with Eugene, the parasite, his notable matches, winning King of the Ring, the failed drug test, his legacy, and everything in between that made William Regal one of the most fascinating stories in the history of professional wrestling! Have a question for our Survivor Series 1998 episode next week? Head over to Twitter right now, @prichardshow Hurry to BrucePrichard.com to see us in LA, Winston Salem, Scotland, Ireland, England, Colorado Springs, Phoenix, and Connecticut on sale now: www.BrucePrichard.com Save Yourself Some Money: www.SaveWithBruce.com Get a Brand New House with NO MONEY DOWN at BrandNewHouse.com

Take a look into Tough Enough as Bruce discusses the judges, the contestants, and how the decision to bring it to SmackDown upset the veterans. Of course Bruce has an opinion on how the "incident" with Angle took place as well. Why did Puder win? Once he did, how did the veterans treat him? What really happened at the Royal Rumble? Why didn't they ever do anything with him and Angle? What is their relationship like now? We discuss OVW, the letter he got by "accident" and then of course we break down why it didn't last, the true details of the $1M contract, and take your questions. Then we continue our doubleheader with a complete breakdown of the Hardcore Title. Who had the idea? Why was it done? Who benefited the most? We exam some of the more memorable moments with the title, the guys who helped make it matter, and the times where it all just became hard to follow. From Mick Foley to Crash Holly to Rob Van Dam, we cover all things Hardcore Title in a very unique Something to Wrestle! Have a question for our William Regal episode next week? Head over to Twitter right now, @prichardshow Hurry to BrucePrichard.com to see us in Winston Salem, LA, Scotland, Ireland, England, and Phoenix on sale now: www.BrucePrichard.com Save Yourself Some Money: www.SaveWithBruce.com Get a Brand New House with NO MONEY DOWN at BrandNewHouse.com

Bruce tells Conrad all about the time Hunter Married Stephanie... on TV and in real life! What REALLY happened, HOW, WHO knew, and WHEN? Hurry to BrucePrichard.com to see us in Winston Salem, LA, Scotland, Ireland, England, and Phoenix on sale now: www.BrucePrichard.com Tees are at BrucePrichard.com and everything else is at BoxOfGimmicks.com Save Yourself Some Money: www.SaveWithBruce.com Get a Brand New House with NO MONEY DOWN at BrandNewHouse.com Take your manhood to the max by trying Ageless Male Max and get your first 30-day bottle FREE – just pay shipping and handling - when you text the word “SLAM” to 79 79 79 Give your gimmick the hot tag with BLUECHEW.com and get your first shipment free (just pay $5 shipping) when you use our promo code WRESTLE Want to consolidate some debt? Try lightstream.com/wrestle for a special offer!

A vacant title divides the Brothers of Destruction with Stone Cold smack dab in the middle.

We knew him by many names before we were introduced to "Rikishi" and Bruce touches on everything from the Samoan Swat Team to the Sultan as we examine the career of Solofa Fatu Jr! You'll hear about everything from the inspiration behind the look, who was enamored with his finisher, how Too Cool came to by, and ultimately why it ended. Bruce also reminds everyone about the "bump" nobody talks about and perhaps the only "sawdust moment" in the history of wrestling. And of course you'll find out why, "I did it... for the Rock." Watch the "Roast of Bruce Prichard," the "Monday Night War Debate," or dozens of other shows on demand starting at just $4.99 at FITE.tv/starrcast Hurry to BrucePrichard.com to see us in Winston Salem, LA, Scotland, Ireland, England, and Phoenix on sale now: www.BrucePrichard.com Tees are at BrucePrichard.com and everything else is at BoxOfGimmicks.com Save Yourself Some Money: www.SaveWithBruce.com Get a Brand New House with NO MONEY DOWN at BrandNewHouse.com Take your manhood to the max by trying Ageless Male Max and get your first 30-day bottle FREE – just pay shipping and handling - when you text the word “SLAM” to 79 79 79 The hottest game of the year is out NOW! Head to WWE.2k.com to purchase your copy of WWE 2K19 today! 

This week we spit in the face of people who don't want to be cool! Carlos Colon is a legend in the wrestling business so it's a no brainer to get his son in the WWE and push him to the moon right? But why didn't it last? What went wrong? What was the word on him coming out of developmental? Who saw something in him on the main roster? We discuss his debut, the US title run, the draft, the IC title run, the WrestleMania moment with Piper and Austin, working against Hogan and Michaels, the infamous promo Ric Flair cut on him, the "stabbing" angle with Cena, whether or not that should have been done, when he asked for his release and why, how Vince managed to convince him to stay, and then ultimately how it all came to an end for a guy who beat John Cena for the US title on his first night on TV. Save Yourself Some Money: www.SaveWithBruce.com Hurry to BrucePrichard.com to see us in Boston in just two weeks! Plus don't miss us in LA, Winston Salem, Scotland, Ireland, England, and Phoenix! Tees are at BrucePrichard.com and everything else is at BoxOfGimmicks.com The hottest game of the year is out NOW! Head to WWE.2k.com to purchase your copy of WWE 2K19 today!  Take your manhood to the max by trying Ageless Male Max and get your first 30-day bottle FREE – just pay shipping and handling - when you text the word “SLAM” to 79 79 79 Get "over" with your significant other and give your "gimmick" the "hot tag" with BLUECHEW! Try your first shipment FREE when you pay $5 shipping and use promo code WRESTLE at BlueChew.com

The WWF's business is booming after SummerSlam 1998 but Nitro is winning the ratings war. We'll examine how we got to Breakdown, what it really set up, what changed about Vince's approach to PPVs in this era, we touch on Jim Carrey and Jerry Lawler, Kurt Angle signing, the camps that WWE was running at the time, Hawk's physical ailment nobody was talking about, wrestlers in High Times, Foley not taking more time off after the Hell in a Cell, Shawn Michaels returning, Tiger Ali Singh, what WWE wanted from Regal during this first run, why Shamrock wasn't a top guy, nudity on USA, Vader's last PPV match, why Bradshaw didn't get over here, the debut of Christian, the bump Edge took on this show nobody talks about, the Godwinns compared to Southern Justice, the silly Val Venis and Dustin Runnels angle, the tremendous promos from the Rock and Mankind, plus more details on Austin riding the Zamboni to the ring the night after the PPV! Don't miss a look back at the WWE 20 years ago this week! Watch the "Roast of Bruce Prichard," the "Monday Night War Debate," or dozens of other shows on demand starting at just $4.99 at FITE.tv/starrcast Hurry to BrucePrichard.com to see us in Winston Salem, LA, Scotland, Ireland, England, and Phoenix on sale now: www.BrucePrichard.com Tees are at BrucePrichard.com and everything else is at BoxOfGimmicks.com Save Yourself Some Money: www.SaveWithBruce.com Take your manhood to the max by trying Ageless Male Max and get your first 30-day bottle FREE – just pay shipping and handling - when you text the word “SLAM” to 79 79 79 Join MYBookie.com and they will match your deposit dollar for dollar up to $1,000! Just use our promo code WRESTLE and sign up after 7pm Eastern to receive an additional $25 free play! Get $5,000-$100,000 to consolidate your credit card debt and get a discounted rate when you visit lightstream.com/wrestle

This is a sleeper episode! Bruce and Conrad discuss Ric Flair leaving the WWE, Freddie Prinze, Jr. coming in as a writer, the Mike Adamle experiment, the "independent contractor" lawsuit and debate, Ventura wanting Vince to back him for the Presidency, CM Punk losing the World Title on this PPV without ever even being in the ring, why that happened, why the business was down, Vince sending out feelers for a "WWE Network" (in 2008!), whatever happened to Manu, a young Cody Rhodes, who is to blame for the Championship Scramble concept, why it didn't work, a hilarious Johnny Ace story, the on-again off-again Foley-McMahon relationship, Coach leaving, the mass layoffs in 2008, and of course the best feud no one talks about: Jericho-Michaels. Watch the "Roast of Bruce Prichard," the "Monday Night War Debate," or dozens of other shows on demand starting at just $4.99 at FITE.tv/starrcast Want to see our live show from San Antonio last weekend? Support us on Patreon! patreon.com/SomethingToWrestle Hurry to BrucePrichard.com to see us in Winston Salem, LA, Scotland, Ireland, England, and Phoenix on sale now: www.BrucePrichard.com Tees are at BrucePrichard.com and everything else is at BoxOfGimmicks.com Save Yourself Some Money: www.SaveWithBruce.com Take your manhood to the max by trying Ageless Male Max and get your first 30-day bottle FREE – just pay shipping and handling - when you text the word “SLAM” to 79 79 79 Join MYBookie.com and they will match your deposit dollar for dollar up to $1,000! Just use our promo code WRESTLE Get a trial month of hims, a medical grade solution for hair loss, for just $5 right now (while supplies last)! Just go to ForHims.com/wwe

Bruce discusses the details of the 9/11 tragedy from a WWE perspective, who was where, what happened, etc. and then in great detail discusses how SmackDown was rescheduled from Tuesday to Thursday with everything that went into producing a very unique show. Watch the "Roast of Bruce Prichard," the "Monday Night War Debate," or dozens of other shows on demand starting at just $4.99 at FITE.tv/starrcast Want more content? Want the shows early and ad free? Support us on Patreon! patreon.com/SomethingToWrestle Hurry to BrucePrichard.com to see us in San Antonio, Winston Salem, LA, Scotland, Ireland, England, and Phoenix on sale now: www.BrucePrichard.com Tees are at BrucePrichard.com and everything else is at BoxOfGimmicks.com Save Yourself Some Money: www.SaveWithBruce.com Take your manhood to the max by trying Ageless Male Max and get your first 30-day bottle FREE – just pay shipping and handling - when you text the word “SLAM” to 79 79 79 Join MYBookie.com and they will match your deposit dollar for dollar up to $1,000! Just use our promo code WRESTLE Give your gimmick the hot tag by visiting BlueChew.com and get your first shipment FREE when use our special promo code WRESTLE, just pay $5 shipping

Bruce answers dozens and dozens of your questions today! Don't miss it! Watch the "Roast of Bruce Prichard," the "Monday Night War Debate," or dozens of other shows on demand starting at just $4.99 at FITE.tv/starrcast Want more content? Want the shows early and ad free? Support us on Patreon! patreon.com/SomethingToWrestle Hurry to BrucePrichard.com to see us in San Antonio, Winston Salem, LA, Scotland, Ireland, England, and Phoenix on sale now: www.BrucePrichard.com Tees are at BrucePrichard.com and everything else is at BoxOfGimmicks.com Save Yourself Some Money: www.SaveWithBruce.com Take your manhood to the max by trying Ageless Male Max and get your first 30-day bottle FREE – just pay shipping and handling - when you text the word “SLAM” to 79 79 79 Join MYBookie.com and they will match your deposit dollar for dollar up to $1,000! Just use our promo code WRESTLE Get $20 off your first order at simplecontacts.com/WRESTLE or enter code WRESTLE at checkout

Episode 117: SummerSlam 1988

RAW is crushing Nitro in the ratings and WCW has Thunder, so why not create a second show right? What did the boys think of an extra day of work? What did the writers think? Who was for it and who was against it? What other names were considered? Why did they settle on this one? Why was there a pilot? Why was going live not considered? How in the world did it wind up on UPN? What McMahon quote caused Conrad and Bruce to argue this week? Join Bruce for a peak behind the curtain into a look at the business of wrestling on television in the late 90s PLUS sidebars about a potential re-launch of "Doink the Klown," how in the world we got Beaver Cleavage, and so much more. Oh and you'll never forget one of the ads this week. Ever. Want FRONT ROW seats to ALL IN? Pre-Order Starrcast on FITE for your chance to win the tickets, round trip airfare to Chicago, three nights in a hotel suite, Platinum Bracelets to Starrcast, and tickets to every Official Meet & Greet! PLUS you get 20+ live shows, over 40 hours of content both live and on demand at FITE.tv/starrcast -- hurry contest ends 8/27! Want more content? Want the shows early and ad free? Support us on Patreon! patreon.com/SomethingToWrestle Hurry to BrucePrichard.com to see us in San Antonio, Winston Salem, LA, Scotland, Ireland, England, and Phoenix on sale now: www.BrucePrichard.com Ask a question about SummerSlam 1988 next week: facebook.com/SomethingToWrestle or twitter.com/PrichardShow Tees are at BrucePrichard.com and everything else is at BoxOfGimmicks.com Save Yourself Some Money: www.SaveWithBruce.com Take your manhood to the max by trying Ageless Male Max and get your first 30-day bottle FREE – just pay shipping and handling - when you text the word “SLAM” to 79 79 79 Get a $20 bonus when you make your first deposit on FanDuel. Come play with us at FanDuel.com/PRICHARD